Courtesy: USAT

U.S. elite triathlete Sheila Taormina took her first World Cup victory of the season and the second of her career on Saturday at the International Triathlon Union World Cup race in Nice, France.

The next day, U.S. elite triathlete Susan Williams finished fourth at the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships, which were also held in Nice.

Taormina (Livonia, Mich.), whose last World Cup win came last year in Cancun, Mexico, site of this year's World Championships, completed the Olympic distance, draft-legal race in 2 hours, 2 minutes, 4 seconds. Brazil's Carla Moreno was second (2:02:30) and Great Britain's Michelle Dillon was third (2:02:49).

Taormina took the lead in the swim, but was caught and passed by U.S. teammate Becky Gibbs (San Jose, Calif.), with Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.) leaving the water in third.

The three worked together on the bike, but Gibbs crashed on a technical section of the course and Reback fell behind.

World No. 1 and defending world champion Siri Lindley (Boulder, Colo.) injured herself before the race. She completed the swim and the bike, but pulled out of the race before the run. Gibbs did not finish the race either. Reback went on to place 14th.

Taormina was joined by Great Britain's Julie Dibens to finish the bike, and then pulled away on the run.

Some top competitors didn't finish the men's race either. No. 1- ranked Greg Bennett of Australia crashed on the bike and required medical attention. Olympic gold medalist Simon Whitfield of Canada withdrew after the bike.

Miles Stewart of Australia won the men's race in 1:48:57. Filip Ospaly (Czech Republic) was second in 1:49:01 and Vladimir Polikarpenko of Ukraine was third in 1:49:13. Brian Lavelle (San Jose, Calif.) was the top U.S. men's finisher in 62nd.

At the elite long distance world championships, held Sunday in Nice, Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) used a strong swim to complete the 1.5k (0.9-mile), one-lap ocean swim, 40k (24.8- mile), five-lap bike and 10k (6.2-mile), five-lap flat run in 7:22:33. Ines Estedt of Germany won the race in 7:06:43. Kathleen Smet of Belgium was second (7:11:55) and Virg Berasategui of Spain was third (7:14:18).

Cyril Neveu (France) won the men's race in 6:19:45. Torbjo Sindballe (Denmark) was second in 6:22:05 and Rutger Beke (Belgium) was third in 6:22:52.

Complete elite results for both races are available at www.triathlon.org.

ITU World Cup
Sept. 21, 2002; Nice France
1.5K swim; 40K bike; 10K run

Women
1. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 2:02:04; 2. Carla Moreno (Brazil) 2:02:30; 3. Michelle Dillon (Great Britain) 2:02:49; 4. Anja Dittmer (Germany) 2:02:54; 5. Christiane Pilz (Germany) 2:03:00; 6. Andrea Whitcombe (Great Britain) 2:03:18; 7. Leanda Cave (Great Britain) 2:03:33; 8. Ana Burgos (Spain) 2:03:39; 9. Anja Heil (Germany) 2:03:40; 10. Mari Lorblanchet (France) 2:03:42

Men
1. Miles Stewart (Australia) 1:48:57; 2. Filip Ospaly (Czech Republic) 1:49:01; 3. Vladimir Polikarpenko (Ukraine) 1:49:13; 4. Tim Don (Great Britain) 1:49:23; 5. Martin Krenavek (Czech Republic) 1:49:30; 6. Maik Petzold (Germany) 1:49:36; 7. Frederik Belaubre (France) 1:49:42; 8. Paul Amey (Great Britain) 1:49:49; 9. Jose Merchan (Spain) 1:49:56; 10. Marc Jenkins (Great Britain) 1:50:02

ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships
Sept. 22, 2002; Nice France

Elite Women
1. Ines Estedt (Germany) 7:06:43; 2. Kathleen Smet (Belgium) 7:11:55; 3. Virg Berasategui (Spain) 7:14:18; 4. Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) 7:22:33; 5. Sophie Delemer (France) 7:22:46; 6. Beth Thomson (Great Britain) 7:23:43; 7. E Niederfriniger (Italy) 7:28:24; 8. Sione Jongstra (The Netherlands) 7:32:27; 9. Ariane Gutknecht (Switzerland) 7:33:22; 10. Gabrie Loskotova (Czech Republic) 7:40:24 Elite Men
1. Cyril Neveu (France) 6:19:45; 2. Torbjo Sindballe (Denmark) 6:22:05; 3. Rutger Beke (Belgium) 6:22:52; 4. Gilles Reboul (France) 6:24:11; 5. Ralf Eggert (Germany) 6:24:58; 6. Christoph Mauch (Switzerland) 6:25:48; 7. Francois Chabaud (France) 6:29:14; 8. Jarrod Brauer (Austria) 6:29:52; 9. Peter Sandvang (Denmark) 6:29:58; 10. Aleja Santamaria (Spain) 6:30:09